A Holiday Message to Writers: Write Badly, Rewrite Bravely

Dear Writers All,

As another year draws to a close and we gather with our friends and family, I am reminded of the fundamental reason we writers are drawn to storytelling in the first place. Whether around a holiday table or sitting in a darkened theater, our goal remains the same – we wish to feel deeply.

When we get together with people we care about, the holidays offer us the chance to feel deeply, to enjoy the warmth and closeness of people we love. And it’s an opportunity to let them know how much we really care. But writers will be writers. Everything we observe, what we learn about, oh, say stressed relationships during the holidays, both the good and not so good, everything we feel during these intense days… just might help us to create the Character Growth Arc for our next tale about a new Hero’s Quest!

As the New Year arrives, many of us make resolutions. For your writing goals, there is one resolution I recommend you consider: Always Write Badly With Pride.

What we writers do requires a process. The first draft is used to explore your story, it serves a purpose, but usually the first draft comes out garbage. The second draft stinks pretty much, too. The third still smells gross, but it’s improving. The fourth draft…

You get the idea. Writing screenplays and novels is a process that requires work, and that means a number of drafts. To write anything that’s ultimately really good, you must be willing to first Write Badly With Pride.

And before you type “FADE IN,” you should be confident you’ve built a solid story structure. I would say (of course!) build it with my Hero Goal Sequences® paradigm. Every commercially successful American movie with one or two Heroes contains between 20 and 23 of these specific, linking steps.

Remember, “No plan, no Oscar.” 

Enjoy the holidays. Embrace the chaos, the laughter, and also the conflict. Then come January – be brave, be obsessed, and write with fire.

Thank you for being part of this incredible journey. Let’s continue to inspire and empower storytellers worldwide!

Eric Edson